


To Say Goodbye.

by Shadow_Overlord



Category: The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 01:33:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10583643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Overlord/pseuds/Shadow_Overlord
Summary: Timmy learns just how hard it is to say goodbye to someone you love.





	

Elizabeth Brisby had never looked more peaceful then as she lay, motionless within the grave her children had dug. Even in her old age she looked as beautiful as ever, even as her fur had grayed and her eyesight had faded, requiring the use of glasses. Her age, however, was what had been her downfall. She had not possessed the altered genes her husband had been given, and then passed on to their children. And so while her children aged at the rate of a human being, Mrs. Brisby herself went through the life cycle of a normal mouse. Her age had soon caught up to her, and the widowed mother was soon almost entirely bedridden, hardly able to move without some sort of aid. Her children had remained with her, caring for her as she had them. In the end, she had passed on peacefully during the night. It was Timmy who had come in to find her corpse. He wiped the tears from his eyes, but they continued to flow. Teresa was comforting Cynthia, and Martin sat silently nearby. Justin and Jeremy had come as well. Timmy couldn't take his eyes off of the limp form of his mother, the mouse who had given so much to protect her family. Timmy had only heard the tales of her actions during his bout of pneumonia, how she had gone so far as to drug that god forsaken cat, Dragon, even being briefly captured when she had done it. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Jenny next to him.  
"Are you okay?" Timmy shook his head, the tears starting anew.  
"I don't know." He looked at his mother once more. "This might sound selfish, but right now, I kinda wish she had gone through what my dad had at NIMH, if only so she would still be here with us."  
"That so?" Jenny looked at Mrs. Brisby's form. "I can't imagine what it must be like, to lose your mother like that."  
"She gave everything for us, but in the end, we couldn't give it all back." Jenny hung her head, remaining silent for a minute.  
"I'm really sorry Timmy." She moved away, leaving him to grieve. Timmy was content to sit beside her grave, willing to spend just a few more minutes with her. Teresa was by him now, sitting silently with her youngest brother.  
"...She's with dad now." Timmy nodded.  
"She's in a better place."  
"...Timmy, just promise something."  
"Hmm?"  
"Don't spend your life grieving. She would have wanted us to be strong."  
"Don't worry, I don't plan on it." Teresa smiled, wrapping an arm around her brother, pulling him into a hug. They stood like that for a few minutes, before Timmy pulled away, picking up a shovel, slinging dirt into the grave. Teresa did the same, then Martin and Cynthia joined in. Minutes passed, and eventually, the grave was filled. They patted down the dirt, and Timmy's eyes wandered to the gravestone Mr. Ages had made upon their request.

ELIZABETH BRISBY:  
A BRAVE MOUSE AND BELOVED MOTHER.

The tears had returned. Timmy shut his eyes, silent for a moment.  
"Goodbye mother. We'll all miss you."


End file.
